Apparatus for finishing plaster-board and the like.



J. &J. E. SCHUMA'EHER.

APPARATUS FOR FINISHING PLASTER BOARD AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1916.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918 WITNESSE S WWW HI ATTRNEY ans rarer Elm.

JOHN SGHUMACHEB AND JOSEPH E. SCHU'MACHEE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR. FINISHING PLASTEE-BOARD D THE LIKE.

nesaoaa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 19118.

Application filed May 19, 1916. Serial No. 98,572.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, JOHN SCHUMACHER and JOSEPH E. SoHUMAonnR, both citizens of the United States, residing in Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Finishing Plaster-Board and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for finishing plaster board and the like, although it is not limited strictly to the finishing of this particular class of products or articles but extends in its scope to the finishing of anything to which the features and characteristics of the invention may be adapted. In its more specific aspects with relation to plaster board and the like it is related to the subject-matter of prior inventions patented by us, an' instance of which is the invention of U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,176,322, issued to us March 21,

1916, for process of making plaster board and the like. The subject of the present invention may be with advantage utilized in carrying on the process of said Letters Patent. In said patent the plaster board product constituting the result of the process patented comprises outer or surface layers of paper or other suitable material and an interposed originally unstable plastic substance which in carrying the process to finality becomes hardened or set, the entirety being dried in a kiln after being subdivided into suitable units, being thus completed for storage or shipment as plaster board units. The present invention relates more particularly to apparatus whereby the process of making such plaster board or the like may be completed, or for assisting in carrying out the stacking and dryin steps, apparatus being herein disclose which is specially adapted to carry on such steps.

We have found in practising our several inventions relating to plaster board and the like, in which large surface areas of such product are made and finished in a day, that facility in handling the same constitutes a necessary factor for the required inexpensiveness of production. The resent invention therefore has for its 0 ject to provide apparatus for use in finishing such plaster board units which will be superior in point of relative simplicity and inexpensiveness in construction and organization, taken with high efiiciency and superiority of product produced thereby.

In accordance with the invention, a tray or trays having a relatively large flat surface and preferably one side wall on which the plaster board sheets may be placed during the stacking operation and which tray with the paster board sheets so stacked may be raised to nearly vertical position is pro-. vided, a suitable carriage for receiving plaster board units, one by one, from the tray, being likewise provided; such carriage preferably is provided with a plurality of transverse members on which the edges of well as vertically over nearly the entire surfaces of the plaster board units; the spacers on the stakes, contacting superficially with the units over only small areas, prevent any lines or other demarcations forming on the units, the surfaces of which must be nearly perfect in a marketable product of this character.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, combination, association, relative arrangement and mode of operation, of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carriage adapted to receive plaster board units and to convey the same intoa kiln and support the same in such kiln, the carriage being shown as partly loaded with plaster board units;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the partly loaded carriage shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the showing in Fig. 1; v

Fig. i is an enlarged fragmentary detail view partly in section, and illustrating the mode of application of the stakes to the.

. shown at b.

The truck B is shown as comprising a frame formed with a plurality of-side members 20, joined by end members 20, and having'a plurality oigtransverse plaster board supporting mem rs 21 mounted upon and extending from one side member 20 to the other of such side members 20. Wheels 20 for co-action with a track 20 which may lead into a kiln, are provided, such wheels being mounted on suitable axles 2O journaled to the side frame members 20 as at 20". At each of the transverse members 21, a preferably channel iron transverse member 22 is provided and such member likewise ranges from one side member 20 to the other side member 20. A plurality of spaced orifices 23 are provided in the upper wall of each channel iron member 22 and a plurality of preferably smaller tapered orifices 23 are provided in the lower wall of each channel iron member 22 and each in registration with an orifice 23. Such taperedorifices 23 are each adapted to receive the tapered end 24 of a vertical stake 25 upon which is mounted a plurality of spacer blocks 26 which may be inned to the stake as at 27, the number of spacer blocks required depending on the wldth of the plaster board unitsto be treated. Such stakes 25 with their spacer blocks 26 constitute the means C. Each stake is shown as of proper diameter to fit an orifice 23, the pointed or tapered end 23 of the stake permitting ready insertion in the respective orifice 23 and providing for final rigid vertical maintenance of the stake as the tapered end 24 seats in the respective orifice 23. A side frame 28, open in the main, is provided at one side of the carriage, as at one of the side members 20 and such frame 28 referably rises to a height registering with the upper spacer blocks 26 on the stakes 25.

Each of the trays E comprises a side wall 29, shown-in Fig. 5 as in use as a bottom wall due to the position of the tray shown in this figure, a bottom wall 30 having a smooth surface, and a plurality of wedges 31 which may be secured to the side wall 29 so that when the tray is raised to the position shown in Fig. 5 the bottom wall 30 will assume nearly a vertical position, so that the plaster board units will be brought to upright position and still be supported by the bottom wall 30, the weight of the same, however being transferred to the wall 29. A transfer truck D may be employed for handling the trays E.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the following statement:

As the plaster board units in initially flexible condition are formed they are stacked upon a tray such as the tray shown in Fig. 5,' the tray lying flat at the time of application of each unit I) thereto or to a previously applied unit. After the plaster board units have set or hardened the tray may be transported on a truck D or by other means to a suitable point where the carriages B are to be loaded. The wedges provided at the side walls 29 of the trays permit each tray to be raised to the position shown in Fig. 5, either on its truck D or on a suitable floor, and the plaster board sheets or units b-being nearly in vertical position they may be picked up, one at a time and while held in vertical position placed on the carriage. The first unit b may be placed against the vertical frame work 28 with its lower edge resting on the transverse members 21 and the channel irons 22 of the respective carriage, after which 'it may be blocked into place by applying a stake to each of the channel irons 22 with the spacer blocks 26 on such stake 25 in engagement with a face of the plaster board sheet or unit I). The next succeeding'unit lifted from the edged-up tray E may be placed against the spacer blocks 26 of the applied stakes 25 and with its lower edge on the members 21 and the channel irons 22,

after which another set of stakes may be.

applied to the channel irons 22 by inserting the lower end thereof in the respective orifices 23 and 23 The succeeding sheets or units of plaster board I) are likewise applied to the tray and when the tray has been completely loaded such units will be spaced apart and held in position by the spacer blocks 26 riage is now ready to be moved into a suitable kiln in which a blast of hot air is applied to the units, such blast preferably ran 'n both vertically of and longitudinally of the kiln or diagonally across the plaster board sheets, as the case. may be. The spacer blocks, as before stated, contact only with limited areas of the plaster board, but with sufiicient areas tozproperly support the same, hold the,stakes away from contact with the plaster board units or of the stakes 25. The carsheets and permit'the passing of air longitudinally as well as vertically between the sheets. If the stakes contacted with the plaster board, contact lines would be formed thereby and longitudinal circulation of air would be prevented, which would result in an inferior product which would be unsalable for many purposes, as plaster board made by the process of the hereinbefore mentioned patent is frequently used for interior walls, and any surface markings or indentations or disfigurements would preclude its use for such purposes.

The trays E may likewise serve as the trays supporting the stacked plaster board units or sheets during the trimming operation'referred to in said Letters Patent and it is not necessary to remove the sheets therefrom until the point where the carriages are loaded is reached when the trays may be tilted onto their side edges and rested on the wedges 31 thus using the floor or bottom wall 30 of the tray to bring the plaster board sheets I) to vertical position. Until the plaster board sheets have been finally dried, as in the kiln, it would be diflicult indeed to bring them one at a time from horizontal to vertical position as for placing on the carriages, were the trays not provided.

Having thus disclosed ourinvention, we

claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-v ent:

1. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a carriage adapted to support a plurality of plaster board units at their lower edges, a plurality of .vertical stakes applied to said carriage, and a spacer element on each stake and adapted to separate adjacent plaster board units from each other.

2. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a carriage adapted to support a plurality of pla ter board units at their lower edges, a plura ity of vertical stakes applied to said carriage, and a spacer element on each stake and adapted to separate adjacent plaster board units from each other; said stakes being tapered at their lower ends for co-action with the carriage.

3. In apparatus for drying plaster board,

a carriage comprising a frame work and spaced transverse members, a lurality of vertical spacer stakes adapted or co-action with said transverse members, and spacer means mounted on said stakes to separate plaster board units from each other so as to permit the circulation of air over the surfaces of the same both vertically and longitudinally.

4. In apparatus for drying plaster board, a carriage comprising a frame work and spaced transverse members, a plurality of vertical spacer stakes adapted for co-action with said transverse members, and spacer means mounted on said stakes to separate plaster board units from the stakes and each other and permit the circulation of air over the surfaces of the same both vertically and longitudinally; each of said stakes being tapered at its lower end and each of said transverse members being perforated and thereby adapted to support said stakes.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN SCHUMAGHER. JOSEPH E. SCHUMACHER. Witnesses:

WILLIS S. MITCHELL, ALFRED H. DAEHLER. 

